YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY TO CLEAN YEREVAN LAKE OF SILT

Armenpress
Jun 19 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS: Romik Kosemyan, head of nature
protection department at the Yerevan municipality, said today a major
silt-cleaning of the Yerevan Lake is to launch very soon. He said
the silt accumulated in the lake will be transported to a specially
selected site.

He said experts from a water design research institute will take
samples of the silt for a through examination as according to some
estimates, concentration of heavy metals in it exceeds all permitted
levels. Kosemyan said if the silt proves clean from hazardous
substances it will be used for cultivation of decorative plants or
as fertilizers, otherwise it will be stored at a special site.

Kosemyan also said that the municipality has got down to implementation
of a greenhouse gas reduction program in Nubarashen dump with the
support of the Japanese side which has pledged to invest $80 million
to build a factory that will convert greenhouse gas emissions into
electricity.

A relevant agreement was signed by Japan and Armenia within the
frameworks of the Kyoto protocol and envisages reduction of green
gases by 100,000 tons in 16 years.